Farms established during the 17th century along the banks of the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts—New England’s early frontier—prospered in the 18th century, supporting a network of cabinetmakers who crafted furniture in a distinctive regional idiom. In homes occupied by generations of farming families, carved and painted oak chests mingled with furniture following the latest fashions in Boston, New York and Philadelphia, interpreted to fit local taste and crafted in native black cherry. In the early 19th century, as industrialization transformed the rural landscape, innovation in furniture design intensified, leading to surprisingly original creations. “Furniture Masterworks: Tradition and Innovation” explores and celebrates western Massachusetts’ first 150 years of furniture-making with 58 objects drawn from Historic Deerfield’s collections that best exemplify the region’s signature contribution to American design history and the emergence of a national identity.